Maria Sharapova's failed drugs test was "reckless beyond description" - Dick Pound

Maria Sharapova's failed drugs test was "reckless beyond description", according to former World Anti-Doping Agency president Dick Pound.

Sharapova, 28, revealed on Monday that she tested positive for the banned substance meldonium in January.

A number of sponsors have already distanced themselves from the Russian five-time Grand Slam winner.

"Running a $30m business depends on you staying eligible to play tennis," Pound told BBC Sport.

Meldonium, which Sharapova said she has taken since 2006 for health reasons, became a banned substance on 1 January.

It is on the banned list now because Wada started seeing it in lots of samples and found it does have performance-enhancing properties.

"You are taking something on a list. I am sorry, that is a big mistake - of course she should have known," said Pound, who was head of Wada from 1999 to 2007.

"She is taking something that is not generally permitted in her country of residence [USA] for medical purposes, so she says, so there must be a doctor following this.

"Anytime there is a change to the list, notice is given on 30 September prior to the change. You have October, November, December to get off what you are doing.

"All the tennis players were given notification of it and she has a medical team somewhere. That is reckless beyond description."

The ability to increase oxygen movement to muscles has seen meldonium used as a supplement for athletes, as it could have a positive affect on stamina and endurance.

Pound said: "A drug like this over a long period of time is contraindicated. It means you would not take it over a long period of time. That is why there was an urge to put the drug on the list. A lot of people were taking it for performance enhancing.

"Most of the drugs of choice for dopers were built for therapeutic reasons - like EPO and others. That was supposed to regenerate blood if you had cancer treatment or surgical intervention if you needed to increase blood supply.

"Someone has said: 'Hmm, more oxygen in the blood? Hmm, very interesting. Let's see if we can use it for that purpose.'

"There is a side effect to every drug, somebody must be monitoring this."

The International Tennis Federation said Sharapova will be provisionally suspended from 12 March. She faces up to a four-year ban.

"We have now increased the basic penalty for a first offence from two to four years," added 73-year-old Pound.

"If there is absolutely zero fault on the part of the athlete, where you can get a reduction of half of that suspension period, you are looking at a couple of years.

"That is for the tennis association to propose. If Wada does not agree, it will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport for an increase."

Sharapova made her announcement at a hotel in Los Angeles on Monday and her admission has polarised opinions.

World number one Serena Williams, who had beaten Sharapova in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open on 26 January before she tested positive, has said the Russian has shown "a lot of courage" for accepting responsibility.

However, Jeanette Kwakye, 100m finalist for Great Britain at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, has criticised Sharapova and feels she may be given a light sentence.

"What we have in Maria Sharapova is a media darling. She knows how to work the world of media, she knows how to spin and put things in her favour by breaking her own news," said Kwakye.

"For somebody like her, it may be a lenient slap on the wrist. There seems to be a different rule for her."

Nigerian female scientist: 'My brain is what matters'

Grace Itunuoluwa Akinwande, from Nigeria, is doing a master's degree in mathematics at the African Institute of Mathematical Sciences in Senegal - one of 12 female scientists in a group of 54.

"I love the fact I can interact with people from different fields, like physics and computer science," Ms Itunuoluwa Akinwande says about her placement studying graph theory.

"What is in your brain" is what counts when competing with male scientists, she adds.

The Nigerian mathematician spoke to the BBC ahead of the Next Einstein Forum, which is under way in Senegal and brings together key figures in science, policy, industry and society in Africa.

Switzerland signs Abacha money deal in Nigeria

Switzerland has agreed to return to Nigeria millions of dollars stolen by the former military ruler Sani Abacha, AFP news agency reports.

It says that Swiss authorities struck a deal with Nigeria to hand back $321m (£226m).

The agreement was signed in Abuja by Nigeria's attorney general and a visiting Swiss delegation - and seems to confirm last year’s announcement by the Geneva prosecutor's office about the return this money.

“We guarantee that recovered assets would be put to uses for which they have been intended,” Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo said in a statement released by his office. 

The money will only be returned once its agreed exactly how this will be done.

Gen Abacha was in power from 1993 to 1998 and is thought to have stolen more than $2bn of public funds - some of it being deposited in Swiss bank accounts.

Switzerland has already returned more than $720m of the money.

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto has compared the rhetoric of Trump to that of Hitler.

In an interview with Mexican daily Excelsior, he called Mr Trump's rhetoric "strident".

He added that "that's how [Italian fascist leader] Mussolini got in, that's how Hitler got in".

The Mexican leader also said that Mr Trump had hurt US-Mexico relations.

Donald Trump has said that if he is elected he will build a wall along the US-Mexico border to keep migrants from crossing into the US illegally.

The Republican candidate has also insisted that Mexico would pay for the border wall, which President Pena Nieto dismissed out of hand.

He said there was "no scenario" under which Mexico would ever pay for such a wall.

Mr Trump, who has made the fight against illegal immigration the main plank of his campaign, outraged Mexicans last June when he called undocumented Mexican migrants "criminals" and "rapists".

President Pena Nieto said Mr Trump offered "very easy, simple solutions to problems that are obviously not that easy to solve".

"And there have been episodes in human history, unfortunately, where these expressions of this strident rhetoric have only led to very ominous situations in the history of humanity," he said.

"That's how Mussolini got in, that's how Hitler got in, they took advantage of a situation, a problem perhaps, which humanity was going through at the time, after an economic crisis," he added.

President Pena Nieto, who had up until now avoided commenting on Mr Trump's candidacy, insisted he would be "absolutely respectful" of the US political process.

His predecessors in office, however, have been more outspoken.

Former President Vicente Fox used an expletive on live television when he said Mexico would not pay for the border wall proposed by Mr Trump.

Felipe Calderon, who governed from 2006 to 2012, also dismissed the idea saying: "Mexican people, we are not going to pay any single cent for such a stupid wall!"

Yinusa Dahiru, who is alleged to have abducted Ese Oruru has been arraigned

The suspect was arraigned before Justice Nganjiwa and accused of conspiring to commit abduction.

The suspect had five-count charges read out against him and he pleaded not guilty to all.

The prime suspect in the Ese Oruru abduction saga has been in the custody of the Police in Yenagoa since his arrest in Kano.

There were reports that he already gave his statement to the Bayelsa State Police Command and divulged those who were aware of his plans to abduct Ese Oruru.

The Commissioner of Police, Peter Ogunyanwo, told Channels TV that another accomplice to the crime is still at large but the Police has the names and other data of persons that would likely be invited for interrogation as the investigation progresses.

Arsenal Trash Hull City 4-0 In FA Cup Replay

The Gunners were gifted the lead when Hull's David Meyler set up Olivier Giroud to slot home.

Aaron Ramsey almost scored an own goal to let Hull back in but Giroud volleyed in to extend Arsenal's lead.

Theo Walcott wrapped up the victory for the holders when he side-footed in and then rifled in a late shot.

Giroud celebrated the birth of his baby boy on Monday and manager Arsene Wenger hoped it would inspire him to break his 11-game scoring drought.

The France striker was restored to the starting line-up, along with fellow forward Walcott, but the pair initially struggled against Hull, who had not conceded in six previous home games.

The Tigers were employing a three centre-back formation and rarely looked like being breached until Meyler's mistake allowed Giroud to slot in his first goal since 13 January.

Walcott's form has also been a concern and, although he looked short of confidence, he set up Giroud's second before looking like his former self when his late double gave him his first goals in five games.

Despite a return to winning ways for manager Arsene Wenger's side, some Gunners fans held up a banner reading 'Arsene, thanks for the memories but it's time to say goodbye'.

The priority for both of these teams are their league campaigns as Arsenal remain in the hunt for the Premier League title, while Hull are challenging for promotion from the Championship.

The home side made seven changes and the Gunners six, with the visitors forced into more of a reshuffle when centre-back Per Mertesacker went off injured early on after a clash of heads with Nick Powell.

Arsenal were playing their sixth game in 18 days and, with centre-back Laurent Koscielny already sidelined, the exit of fellow defender Gabriel in the second half has provided the Gunners with problems at the heart of their defence.

Gabriel's replacement in midfielder Aaron Ramsey lasted only 16 minutes before an apparent shoulder injury ended his participation and Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger now faces a selection dilemma against Watford on Sunday.

His side may be attempting to win a third successive FA Cup but, after their last-eight tie, they will attempt an unlikely Champions League comeback from 2-0 down at Barcelona before returning to league action.

Hull's main threat came from set-pieces, with one particular free-kick causing panic in the Arsenal area before David Meyler forced keeper David Ospina into a smart save.

Powell's effort from the rebound was parried and Ahmed Elmohamady slotted in, but the assistant referee had already flagged for an offside decision Hull may feel aggrieved by.

However, Hull failed to capitalise on Arsenal's problems at the back and when a rare chance came their way striker Mohamed Diame sent a header wide from eight yards.

Indeed, the closest the home side came was when Ramsey sent a header wide of his own goal and Steve Bruce's men have now scored only once in six games.

Arsenal host Watford on Sunday before trips to Barcelona in the Champions League on 16 March and Everton in the Premier League on 19 March. Hull get back to Championship action when they host MK Dons on Saturday.

With BBC

Oronsaye Quizzes Again by EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has invited a former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Steve Oronsaye, for questioning over allegations of corruption and obtaining money by false pretence.

The former Head of Service was called in on Tuesday from his Abuja residence almost eight months after a Federal High Court ordered his release.

He was granted bail on self-recognition by a Federal High Court in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital in July 2015.

Mr Oronsaye, who was charged along with two others, was asked to deposit his travel documents with the court to fully secure his bail.

The EFCC has now filed two fresh charges against Mr Oronsaye at the Federal Capital Territory High Court.

South African telecoms giant, MTN Group, says it has no plans to list its Nigerian unit on the Nigerian Stock Exchange

This is coming against the backdrop of expectations that MTN Nigeria would get listed on the NSE once it resolves the disputed 780 billion naira fine with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), according to Channel Television.

In a statement issued by the telecom giant’s Corporate Affairs Executive, Chris Maroleng, the group described the reports as untrue.

Mr Maroleng further stated that the listing of MTN Nigeria remains a consideration and not a planned listing, as suggested in some of the media reports

Reports had suggested that the only thing stopping the group from listing in Nigeria was the 780 billion Naira penalty imposed on it for failing to comply with directives from the NCC to disconnect 5.1 million unregistered sim cards, and was planning to list as soon as the matter was resolved.

FG pledges to revamp National Gender Policy

Sen. Aisha Alhassan, the Minister for Women Affairs and Social Development, has pledged to revamp the National Gender Policy so as to meet up with the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerian women.

Alhassan said this on Tuesday, in Abuja ,at a news conference to commemorate the International Women’s Day (IWD) celebrated globally on March 8.

The event with the theme "Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality”, was organised by the ministry.

According to her, the government is tackling the challenges through the various measures put in place.

"An outstanding challenge is the need to revamp the National Gender Policy to make it more responsive to the priorities of Nigerian women and men and serve as a tool for achieving globally agreed frameworks.

"Other challenges include weak and inadequate capacity to conduct gender mainstreaming; poor institutional framework resulting in the lack of synergy with critical stakeholders.

"There is also the issue of inadequate performance of the regulatory and supervisory functions of the Ministry especially to cover its mandate areas and the paucity of competent staff to handle the complexity of gender issues which are dynamic, context specific and constantly evolving.

"These identified challenges are already being tackled with strategies indicated in the medium term strategic plan, the 2016 budget and priorities of the National Gender Policy which will be launched after due approval by the federal Executive Council.

"Emphasis will also be placed on professionalism of the ministry; streamlining and re-organising work as well as deepening partnerships with stakeholders including donors to step up the capacity of staff advocacy to step up capacity and to assist with training and
retraining of staff.''

The minister further stated that the ministry was not relenting in empowering the rural women who make up 70 per cent of the population.

She said that the ministry had introduced Gender Responsive Budgeting Initiative, expansion of the e-wallet programme, extension of women’s water management initiative to more rural communities.

Alhassan said that the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act would give succour to many rural women who have had to undergo traumatic experiences due to harmful traditional practices and domestic violence.

"Among the many benefits that we expect from our interventions is the boosting of girl-child enrolment in schools.

"Specific strategies have already been initiated to make it possible.

"These include advocacy, collaboration with critical stakeholders such as UNICEF and implementation of the year-long Ending Violence Against Children campaign.

"One important area of focus for me will be in the area of improving women’s participation in decision making.”

She, however, urged the citizenry to spare a thought for many women and girls who had endured inequalities, suffered hardships and in some cases paid the price to ensure that communities move on.

According to her, the celebration will provide an opportunity to reflect on the potential of the Sustainable Development Goals in the area of women and girls.

It was reported that International Women’s Day was first conceived in 1911 to mark the protest by women garment-makers who were subjected to deplorable working conditions in New York. 

(NAN)

SARAKI REMARKS ON THE VISIT OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, MR. JACOB ZUMA (FULL TEXT)

1. On behalf of my colleagues, Distinguished Senators and Honourable members, I warmly welcome you to Nigeria and to the National Assembly in particular.

2. Your Excellency, your visit today is symbolic. This will be the first time in the life of this 8th National Assembly that we will be honouring a visiting President with addressing a joint session of the National Assembly. It is therefore, befitting that this honour goes to you Mr. President and by extension the people of South Africa. This is a rare gesture, last invested on the former President of the United States of America, President Bill Clinton in August 2000. It is another demonstration of our friendship, solidarity and deep affection for the people of South Africa.

3. Your visit today, speaks volumes on how much your government and the great people of South Africa value and cherish the fledging bilateral relationship Nigeria has with South Africa. It is testament to our collective aspiration and recognition that we must come together, act together and grow together to forge a new African reawakening, built on our people, democracy and the rule of law.

4. The legislature is vital to our cherished democracy and freedom. South Africa’s experience and ours demonstrates the need for us to further entrench our people’s liberties and freedoms and guide jealously our democracy.

5. Your visit to this hallowed ground bears eloquent testimony of the critical importance you attach rightly to the role of the legislature as a place for deliberation, where we can through engagement settle differences, find agreements that enhances our mutual interest, development and democracy.

6. We must therefore as African leaders today forge a new path to greater African integration through the easing of trade restrictions, travel restrictions and better policy action towards inter African investment and support.

7. As representatives of our people, we cannot fail to use this opportunity to enable you feel their pulse. Though our two nations are doing well in the area of trade and investment our people have found entry into the South African market, bottlenecked. This is not the case for South African businesses in Nigeria. Nigerians therefore yearn for greater reciprocity in this area. This is also the case with travels and visa restrictions. Another area we cannot fail to emphasize is the need to activate our MOUs that have been duly signed but are inactive. It is our belief that this would be in the mutual interest for greater integration, opportunity and engagement.

8. We must find ways of enabling, positively, inter African investment through policy interventions. This is a critical policy role the legislature can help us actualize. It starts with ensuring fairness and ease of doing business. This National Assembly is already at work to reduce the cost of doing business in Nigeria generally.

9. Mr. President, I will not end my remark without acknowledging the vital role the South African Government has played so far in terms of our engagements in the area of security and the fight against insurgency. The Nigerian people are grateful and ask you to keep up the good work. For us, the fight against terrorism remains a global one. Terrorism anywhere must continue to be seen as terrorism everywhere.

10. Your Excellency, our two countries have come a long way and this visit will help cement that. We are very delighted to have you in our midst. Please, enjoy the warm hospitality of our people wherever you may go from here.

Buhari wants Nigerian media, youths to generate sound economic ideas

President Muhammadu Buhari has enjoined the Nigerian media and the youth to help improve the Nigerian economy by partaking in national discourse aimed at formulating sound economic ideas.

The president made the call on Monday in Abuja at the public presentation of a book titled; "The Famous Call’’, written by a Senior Editor with the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr Edwin Akwueh, on Monday in Abuja.

A reports shown that the book focused on the new direction of Nigeria after the March 28, 2015 presidential elections.

Represented by Sen. Ita Enang, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on the Senate, Buhari said that the Nigerian media and youths had immense contributions to make towards bringing the nation’s economy out of the woods.

"Let me appreciate and charge the media and the youths to join the discourse of addressing the Nigerian economy from currency evaluation, shift of emphasis from petro-dollar economy to an economy that is defined and sustained by agricultural products, exports of agricultural products, when we have produced enough for domestic consumption and the products of other goods of Nigeria and Nigerians.

"We charged authors to write to encourage value addition to our crude oil, to increase our local refining capacity, refining what we consume and refining in excess to export to earn dollar and save our foreign exchange from import of petroleum products.

"We should write and create confidence in all our domestic markets and local products and in our educational institutions.

"We should also write and encourage what Nigerian youths and other unemployed should do to have gainful employment and earn a living.’’

The president also said that he was pleased with the author of the book and treasured every Nigerian who stood out in their various callings.

In his remarks, Edwin Akwueh, the author of the book, said that what gave him the inspiration to write the book was the former President Goodluck Jonathan’s acceptance of defeat. following the outcome of the 2015 presidential election.

According to him, the acceptance of the election results by an incumbent president, as demonstrated by the phone conversation between Jonathan and Buhari, was a milestone in Nigerian democracy.

"Just like the name implies 'the famous call', it is famous because the book itself focused mainly on the telephone conversation between the former President of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, and the current President Muhammudu Buhari on March 31 2015.

"The inspiration came at the international conference centre when the results were being collated.

"We had gist that President Jonathan had called Buhari at around 5:15 p.m. to concede defeat.

"It dropped in my heart that it should not end like this, there should be something to remember. So what do I do?

"Beyond the news writing of what transpired, there should be a comprehensive work on what happened all through the 2015 election experience.

"The famous call is a call to end impunity, to end corruption and to end every anti-democratic element in Nigeria and Africa.

"At the moment, it is a book but it is an advocacy beyond a book because there is a website being launched this week www.famouscall.com.ng

"Our mission is to galvanise African youths, emerging leaders to see that we end all these issues that are against democracy and promote tenets of democracy and the hallmarks of democracy that the famous call promoted on March 31. ‘’

Akwueh said that other African countries should take a cue from Nigeria on how true democracy should be practised.

"Africans should understand that in any game you play, any venture you enter, it is either you win or lose.

"So, we should exercise patience and be tolerant and not get into acts that will jeopardise ourselves and others because of our selfish ambition.’’

Reviewing the book, the book reviewer, Dr Uche Nwankwo, said that the book was a call for courage, vision, political maturity, statesmanship and morality, adding that politics must be played with statesmanship to end impunity.

Nwankwo, a lecturer in the Political Science Department, University of Ibadan, commended former President Goodluck Jonathan for exhibiting high level of maturity which helped to save the country from anarchy.

"The famous call is an appeal to our leaders to make sacrifices that will save lives, enhance our democracy, and make our people the champions of democracy that will harvest the dividends of democracy,‘’ he stressed. 

(NAN)

Efforts to modernise Nigeria’s rail transport system on course -Transport Minister

The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, reiterates Federal Government’s efforts and commitment at transforming the country’s rail transport system.

He made the declaration at the inspection of newly-acquired executive coaches for the Abuja-Kaduna standard gauge line at the Apapa Ports Terminal in Lagos.

Amaechi, represented by Mr Mohammed Babakobi, Director, Rails, Federal Ministry of Transportation, said government remained resolute in improving the rail transport system in the country.

He said that the new coaches are made with particular focus of the comfort of passengers; “they are very safe and have a designed speed of about 150km/h.” he added.

He said they will soon be moved to Abuja and installed on the rail tracks, where they are supposed to be servicing.
He also assured Nigerians of the Federal Government’s sustained efforts at acquiring more standard gauge coaches to meet demand.

Mr Fidet Okhiria, the Acting Managing Director of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), who said that the coaches were designed to run at 150km/h, added that the corporation was on track to upgrade its operations.

He said one is for executive, three standard coaches and one baggage van that will carry loads belonging to passengers.
He added that all coaches are air-conditioned, fitted with vacuum toilets, CCTV cameras and TVs. “The legroom is quite accommodating and it is going to be comfortable to ride in them.” he said.

The Ag.MD said that the NRC had commenced the upgrade of its website, to ensure that passengers could purchase tickets online.

On maintenance, Okhiria noted that the coaches were accompanied with spares, saying “the manufacturer is going to be here in Nigeria for at least one year, to maintain them.
“By that time, our technicians and engineers will grab the nitty-gritty of the maintenance of the coaches.” He said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the maiden operation of the standard gauge coaches is expected to commence in May between Abuja and Kaduna.

The corporation’s narrow gauge coaches currently operate weekly from Lagos to Kano, Offa to Kano, Lagos to Ilorin, Port Harcourt to Kano, as well as the Lagos Mass Transit shuttle.

A cleaner donates her retirement benefit to support President Buhari's war against corruption

A pensioner, Mrs Rose Julius, on Monday, donated her monthly pension of N10,000 to support the Buhari administration's war against corruption.

Julius announced the donation while presenting the N10,000 to Mr Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President in Abuja.

The retired cleaner, who worked with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, also promised a monthly contribution of N1,000 toward the rehabilitation of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the country.

She said that the donation was because she was convinced that President Muhammadu Buhari was a tested man of integrity who could be trusted to restore the lost glory of Nigeria and drastically curb corruption in the country.

The pensioner also commended the President's efforts to end the Boko Haram insurgency and rehabilitate IDPs.

Receiving the donation on behalf of the President, Adesina thanked Julius for her faith in the Buhari administration.

He said "we have a pact with Nigerians to change things for the better and we are on the right track.

"President Buhari and his team are working tirelessly to revamp the economy, combat terrorism and curb corruption.'' 

(NAN)

The Seme Command of Nigeria Customs Service set a record of 1.07bn revenue

The Seme Command of Nigeria Customs Service on Monday said it generated N 1.07 billion revenue in February.

Controller for the command, Victor Dimka, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Seme.

Dimka said that the revenue for the period was N 172.6 million higher than N 899.8 million generated in the corresponding period in 2015.

"When I came to this command in January, one of the promises I made was that I would collect maximum revenue and suppress smuggling to its barest minimum.

"I am glad we have started achieving that; the command generated N 1,072,484,462.82 as revenue in the month of February.

"This is the first of its kind in the month of February since the creation of the command.

"We were able to achieve this in spite of the prevailing high exchange rate, the strike by the Nigerian Ports Authority and the Customs in the Republic of Benin and protest on implementation of unifying ex-factory price,’’ he said.

Dimka added that the command made 55 seizures with a Duty Paid Value (DVP) of N15.6 million and arrested six suspects during the period.

He attributed the achievement of the command to the commitment of the management team, stakeholders and the members of the community.

"It is easy to attain success, but not easy to maintain success, therefore all hands must be on deck to maintain and exceed the current record,’’ he said.

Dimka urged Nigerians to desist from smuggling and embrace legitimate trade, saying that there was no room for smuggling in the area.

"We are determined to eliminate all loopholes and block all revenue leakages which would translate to more revenue generation for us,’’ he stated.